The Legend of Three Strikes
by razgriz108
Summary: Albert Genette, famed reporter whose investigations include documenting the tales of the legendary Wardog squadron and the corruption of Lesath's Diego Navarro, now sets his sights on the hero of the Lighthouse War, Trigger. In the spirit of Brett Thompson's story of the Demon Lord, Genette interviews Trigger's allies and enemies, all to understand the Legend of Three Strikes
1. Prologue

_The following is a non-profit fan-written work. _Ace Combat_ and_ Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown_ are owned by Project Aces and Bandai Namco Entertainment. Please Support the official release._

The Legend of Three Strikes

Osean Broadcasting Corporation: Oured, Osean Federation, January 2024

It was an average winter morning for renowned journalist Albert Genette as he walked into his office at the Osean Broadcasting Corporation. He had returned from assignment in Griswall, covering the recent war between the Aurelians and Lesath. His investigation into Lesath's former "president" Diego Navarro had taken longer than he would have liked, in large part due to the global communications network still down following the Lighthouse War. Still, the fact that his report on the corruption of Navarro was used as a damming piece of evidence in Navarro's trial gave Genette a sense of accomplishment.

_It's good to finally be back home_, Genette thought to himself. He sat down at his desk and checked to news feed. _Hmm, regional connections only,_ he mused, _well, it's better than nothing._ In the 5 years since the Lighthouse War, Osea and Yuktobania had worked together, along with support from the newly reformed Republic of Anea, to try to restore satellite communications. New satellites were being launched from sites in Osea and Yuktobania every other month, with more being built in Anean facilities. But much of the rebuilding efforts had been aimed toward the war-torn continent of Usea. Still, most ground-based communications had been restored, and limited satellite coverage had been achieved. _Not to shabby for five years._

"GENETTE! MY OFFICE!"

_What does he want now?_ Genette wondered to himself as he made his way into his editor's office. The editor was a rather rotund man with a receding hairline, short in stature and possessing an even shorter temper. "FINE! I'll tell him!" the editor bellowed into the phone as he slammed it back on its hook. He sighed, and turned to face Genette. "Ah, you're here. Good."

"That didn't sound pleasant," Genette quipped. The editor sighed and slumped back into his chair.

"Not for me, it sure as hell wasn't!" he countered. "The higher ups want to take you off duty for a special assignment."

"What kind of assignment?"

"The Z500k kind."

Genette's eyes widened. "Five hundred thousand Zollars?!" he exclaimed incredulously, "I can't believe it!"

"Neither can I," the editor said. "The board wants you to film a documentary for the anniversary of the end of the Lighthouse War," he explained. "One like the one that Thompson did about the Demon Lord back in '05. Only, they want it to be about the Bigshot," the editor began scratching his head. "What was his name again? Digger?"

"Trigger," Genette supplied.

"Whatever," the editor snapped back. He pulled out a folder and handed it to Genette. "Anyway, the higher ups came up with a list of people they thought you could start your investigation with. All travel expenses will be covered, provided you log all of your expenses and hours. We don't want you to go off the grid like Thompson did."

Genette took the folder and began perusing the dossiers. "I don't see Trigger in here," he observed.

"Trigger's on leave and is unavailable right now," the balding man replied. "You're welcome to try and find him, but even you should know that trying to interview an Ace is like trying to herd cats."

Genette chuckled to himself. _I remember. No matter how hard I tried, I could never get Blaze to answer any of my questions. I hope he's doing alright._ "Yeah, Blaze wasn't much for talking, though his wingmen were."

The editor nodded in agreement. "So, will you take the job?"

"Of course I will." Genette eagerly replied.

"Then get going," his boss ordered. 'You're on the clock." He extended his hand. "Oh, and good luck, Genette." Genette shook his hand and left, eager to start his new assignment. _This list includes Trigger's wingmen from the LRSSG, and his squadmates from his IUN-PKF days,_ he mused. _But nothing regarding any of his days as a Spare. _Genette frowned. _And no mention of any Eruseans who might have flown against him. _He smiled in determination. "Looks like I've got my work cut out for me."


	2. Introduction

**International Space Elevator (ISEV)**

**Selatapura, Gunther Bay, Usea 2024**

Hello, I'm Albert Genette. Five years ago, the world was once again ravaged by war with this Lighthouse acting as the central nexus around which the tides of the war turned. The Kingdom of Erusea, frustrated with Osean hegemonic influence over the continent of Usea, declared war on the Osean Federation. The war began as a showcase of Erusean drone technology as wave after wave of drone strikes pushed IUN forces to the far eastern portions of Usea. This culminated in a devastating blow to Osean morale as the desperate rescue attempt to rescue former President Vincent harling ended in the destruction of Harling's transport with all hands, seemingly due to friendly fire.

Eventually, after using penal units to hold the line until Osean forces from the mainland could arrive, the Allied forces mounted a counterattack. The long dormant Stonehenge was utilized by Osea to destroy one of the commandeered Arsenal Birds, Liberty. Soon after, the Erusean capital of Farbanti was under Osean control. Unfortunately, at that time, both Osea and Erusea had launched anti-satellite missile strikes at each other, and the resulting debris caused a chain reaction that wiped out all satellite communication around the globe. The war then descended into a free-for-all as the fog of war fell upon the combatants. A brief period of anarchy existed until a coalition of Osean and Erusean forces rallied around the Lighthouse to destroy the final Arsenal Bird and put an end to the drones which had by that point, gone rogue.

But, if we look deeper, go beyond the surface, another story emerges. A true story about a single, young pilot. A pilot, who like the Lighthouse, became a focal point around which the very fate of the war, and quite possibly, the future turned. Today, we are going to uncover the story around this pilot. We will speak with the pilots who flew with him. And flew against him. Through his story, we will unearth the qualities that he possessed to become a "Beacon of Light." Together, we will reveal the Legend of Three Strikes.


	3. The Man Who Saw Potential

_**The Man Who Saw Potential**_

**Fort Grays Island, IUN-PKF Airbase, Federation of Central Usea March 2024**

Lt Colonel Brad "**Clown**" Venable, Osean Air Defense Force/International Union-Peacekeeping Force

Lt Col Venable, Callsign Clown, then a Captain, was the leader of the 508th Tactical Fighter Squadron "Mage" which was assigned to the IUN-PKF based at Fort Grays in Eastern Usea. Clown first recruited our pilot, callsign Trigger, into Mage Squadron shortly before the outbreak of the war. Since the end of the war, Clown has become the company leader of both Mage and Golem Squadrons, and is still stationed at Fort Grays.

Col, can you tell me what your initial impression of Trigger was?

"Please, call me Clown. Less formal that way."

Of course.

"Anyway, when I first met Trigger, he was fresh out of the academy, as green as can be. But I saw an eagerness to him. I knew he was gonna be a real go-getter. His scores were high, so I pulled some strings and got him assigned to my squad as my wing."

That was a week before the war broke out, wasn't it?

"Heh, yeah it was, wasn't it? Trigger had just gotten settled in and assigned his plane. Then the next day, bombs were going off all around the base. The kid's first sortie was an emergency scramble. I remember we were flying blind. No intel on what was hitting us. All we knew was that they were Erusean, and there were quite a few of 'em. Knocker, our Company lead, told us to form up, but I talked him into letting Trigger take point for the initial wave. I wanted to see what he could do."

And?

"The kid was a natural. Took out the first two waves in no time! Though, he did go off the leash when Sky keeper, our AWACS, picked up more bogeys."

'Went off the leash?'

"Yeah. Trigger was technically my wing, so he was supposed to follow my lead and stay in formation. Instead, he sped off toward the bogeys. Though, in the boy's defense, I DID kinda give him the reins there at the start."

So, how did Trigger perform under your guidance?

"Beyond my expectations. Trigger became an Ace on his first mission, and he was always rarin' to go. He handled ground attack missions with just as much skill as he did with dogfighting. When the Eruseans started throwing drones at us, Trigger just swatted 'em down. I could tell, he had the makings of a great leader one day."

So, you're saying that Trigger was adaptable?

"For sure! Take Dual Wielder for example. It was supposed to be an easy op for us. Roll in, swat down the meager Erusean pilots, then press on to the Space Elevator. At first, things were going real smooth. Trigger was cleaning up when an Arsenal Bird jumped right on top of Gargoyle."

What did everyone do?

"Well, while Knocker was trying to maintain some semblance of order, and Sky Keeper was trying to figure out what the hell just happened, Trigger had already figured out what he had to do. He CHARGED the big bird."

He charged? Without orders?

"Yep. In fact, his attack probably saved Gargoyle squadron."

How so?

"His attack put the bird and its drones on the defensive. Sky Keeper saw this, and finally ordered the rest of us to attack. Knocker had Golem deal with the drones, while Skeleton and Mage attacked the bird itself. Trigger actually managed to knock out most of its props before it popped its shield. Too bad Skeleton was too close...

"Then, Sky Keeper told us to retreat, while Golem and Mage provided cover. Trigger threw his all into getting those drones off everyone's tail. That's when I saw his true character."

What was that?

"Trigger would NEVER leave anyone behind if he could help it. Sure, his plane would take some hits, and the mechanics would chew his ass out because he pushed his plane too hard, but to him, it didn't matter as long as he got his fellow pilots home. That's probably why he took it so hard when Brownie died. Some Erusean hotshot in an Su-30 got the drop on her. She pleaded Trigger for help, but he couldn't make it in time."

Trigger was at the Harling rescue mission, correct?

"Yeah. He was the tip of the spear. In fact, he was the one they blamed the friendly fire on."

Did you think he did it?

"No. I never once thought that Trigger would ever knowingly fire on Mother Goose 1. But the drones were hounding it pretty hard, and with Brownie's death fresh in his mind, I could see Trigger becoming a bit reckless in his attacks. I'm just glad he was cleared of Harling's murder and got the chance I always knew he deserved."

Would you say you were right? That Trigger had potential?

"Definitely. Trigger succeeded beyond my wildest dreams. I'm so proud of him"


	4. The Cautious Leader

_**The Cautious Leader**_

**Fort Grays Island, IUN-PKF Airbase, Federation of Central Usea March 2024**

Colonel Doug "**Knocker**" Erholtz Osean Air Defense Force/International Union-Peacekeeping Force

Col Doug Erholtz, Callsign "Knocker," is the current Base Commander of the IUN-PKF airbase at Fort Grays. Back in 2019, Captain Erholtz was the leader of the 505th Fighter Attack Squadron "Golem" and the company leader of Golem and Mage Squadrons. Since most of his pilots were "nuggets," or rookie pilots, Knocker developed a reputation for demanding strict unit cohesion and firm discipline. However, many pilots under his command reported that he was an understanding flight lead as well, and always had his pilots' wellbeing in mind.

Col, what went through your mind when Mage Leader asked about transferring Trigger to Mage squadron?

"Well, I had seen his scores. They were impressive for a rookie. But I had passed up on him for Golem because of his tendency for 'lone wolf' flying. Clown said that he could handle it, so I gave the ok."

Did you have any reservations after seeing him perform?

"He did very well performance wise in his first sortie. Instant Ace. Not many pilots can boast that kind of accomplishment. But, like I feared, he broke formation and attacked the third wave of bogeys without his lead. As I tell my pilots, breaking formation is one of the most dangerous things you can do out there because you isolate yourself for your support. Not only that, but you leave your own wingman vulnerable and open to attack."

What did you do?

"I let Clown handle it. Trigger was his hatchling after all. But I did warn Clown that if Trigger didn't shape up, I would ground him until he figured out that he needed to maintain element."

Did it work?

"Kind of. From then on, Trigger proved to be a reliable member of the team. He would follow any orders given to Mage, but Clown usually let Trigger take the lead in the formation when the battle became engaged."

That sounds unorthodox. Why would Clown do that?

"A couple reasons maybe. Clown might have been trying to work with Trigger's natural aggressiveness rather than against it. Or, maybe Clown let Trigger take the lead in combat because it was the best tactical option."

I don't follow.

"I think you do Genette. Remember your first big story? Lt Nagase was given command of Wardog after Bartlett went down, but she gave the lead to Blaze, even though she was the ranking pilot. That's because she knew that Blaze was the better pilot."

I don't believe that was why she gave the lead to Blaze...

"The point being, Clown knew that Trigger was already one of the best pilots at Fort Grays. Tactically speaking, the most skilled pilot should be the one in the lead position, so Clown gave it to Trigger while he commanded from the wing."

What was Trigger like on base?

"He had a likable enough personality. I tried not to get to involved with my pilots, but Trigger made friends easily. He and Brownie, my wing, already had a rivalry brewing in the skies. But on the ground, they became fast friends. They did pretty much everything together."

Did you have a problem with it?

"No, in fact I encourage my pilots to have close bonds. It helps with unit cohesion and lifts pilot morale. Though, it does have a downside if a pilot gets killed. I still remember when we landed after Dual Wielder. The amount of pain and rage I saw in his eyes terrified me. I don't think he ever forgave himself for failing to rescue her."

Do you think that might have contributed to his performance during Harling's rescue?

"Without a doubt. Trigger was a man on a mission. He didn't want to lose anyone else, and it showed in his flying. He was reckless, took too many risks that day."

What went through your head when Mother Goose 1 went down?

"My first thought was that Trigger got too close and shot down the President. That's not to say I thought he purposely shot Harling, but I honestly believe he had target fixation. He only saw the drones, and I don't think he realized just how close he was to MG1."

And, what is your opinion of him now?

"Well, mixed really. I'm glad he's on our side, and I would hate to fly against him,"

But?

"But I'm not sure I'd want he and I to be in the same squadron again, or for him to be under my command. He's a maverick. Highly skilled, and we couldn't have won without him, but Trigger takes too many risks for my tastes."


	5. The Guard Dog

_**The Guard Dog**_

**Apito International Airport, Gumard District, Osean Federation May 2024**

Kevin "**Bandog**" Connolly Osea West Airlines

After allegedly shooting down former President Harling, Trigger was court marshalled, convicted, and transferred to the Osean 444th Penal Squadron "Spare," based in Zapland on the Eastern coast of Usea. Kevin Connolly, callsign Bandog, was the Airborne Warning and Control Systems operator for Spare during the war. Now, he is an Air Traffic Controller at Apito International Airport, in the employ of OWA.

As the AWACS for Spare Squadron, that effectively made you the warden for the pilots when they were in the air, right?

"They were criminals, but yes."

I take it you didn't try to get close with the Spares then?

"No. They were convicted criminals who were working off their debt to society as cannon fodder. Nothing more. Trying to get close to any of them would be asking for trouble."

I see. Who would you say stood out the most amongst the Spares?

"Easily Spare 15. Trigger."

Would you care to explain?

"Each of the Spares had their own flaw. Spare 2 was a fraud. Spare 6 couldn't keep his nose out of places it shouldn't be in. Spare 7 had a gambling addiction. Spare 8 was a hothead with a problem with authority. And Spare 11 was an anarchist. But, Spare 15, Tigger, was different. He was quiet. Especially when he first got thrown in the 444. You could see in his eye that he'd experienced his fair share of loss."

What was your impression of him?

"At first, he was the man who assassinated Harling. On his first sortie in the 444, I even bet on him going down. Lost a lot of money on him. But, time and time again, Trigger would put the mission above all else. And he was the only one to do so."

Were the rest of the Spares that unreliable?

"HA! At the first sign of trouble, most of the cowards would flee! Usually leaving just Trigger behind. And Trigger more than picked up the rest of their slack. For instance, in the raid on Roja Roca, Spare's orders were to soften up the Erusean forward bases so that the rest of Osea's regular forces could mop up. 444 aircraft weren't allowed to resupply, but I gave the authorization to do so. The Spares couldn't do their job unarmed, after all. Not only did Trigger not resupply, but he DEMOLISHED the Erusean bases. There wasn't anything left for the regulars to do except clean up Trigger's scraps. Trigger even covered for the fleeing Spares when the Erusean drones attacked."

You sound impressed.

"I was. More so in Yinshi valley, when we had to cover Cyclops and Strider squadrons egress. There was a thunderstorm, and once again, when the drones attacked, the cowards ran. Save for Trigger and Spare 11, Tabloid. Trigger flew like a man possessed. Thanks to him, Cyclops and Strider made it out alive. I realized that day that Trigger was different. I began to question whether or not he actually belonged in the 444. The way he flew, the way he fought, that wasn't how a criminal would act."

How did he act?

"Like a hero. But not a glory hound. That was Spare 2, Count's style. Trigger simply let the results speak for themselves. In fact, in Waiapolo, Trigger's heroism managed to infect the other Spares."

What happened?

"Our orders were to destroy the radar facilities that were linked to the Erusean satellite network. Most of the cowards were content to hide in the clouds as usual. Once Trigger had single handedly completed the mission, we were ambushed by Hornets that were registered as friendly on the IFF and bore Osean markings. Tabloid came up with the idea for the Spares to form up on Trigger and have me tag the formation as friendlies and all others as hostile. Trigger led them in a counter attack. For once, they acted like an actual military squadron."

If I recall, weren't you discharged for mistagging Spare 6, Full Band, as a hostile?

"I was never formally charged with any misconduct. Now, if you have any more questions regarding Trigger, then ask them. Otherwise, I've got work to do."

Just one more. If you could say anything to Trigger now, what would it be?

"I'd apologize for how I treated him. I had always suspected that he didn't belong with the degenerates the higher ups threw him in with, but I couldn't give him any breaks, lest I compromise my authority. And I'd thank him, for being the hero Osea needed, but didn't deserve."


	6. The Girl Who Wished to Fly

_**The Girl Who Wished to Fly**_

**Cape Landers, Osean Federation May 2024**

Avril Mead "**Scrap Queen**"

Avril Mead, self-appointed Scrap Queen, was a civilian mechanic who, along with her grandfather and his old war buddies, restored an F-104 Starfighter in the middle of the Osean Desert. She made her one and only flight on the outbreak of the war. She was then shot down by Osean F-15s that were pursuing Erusean drones, due to Mead's lack of an IFF system in her Starfighter. She was then transferred to Zapland as part of the 444. She is now the chief mechanic at McNealy Air Force Base.

Thank you for taking time out of your leave to talk with me.

"Eh, don't worry about it."

So, why did you rebuild an F-104 out of nothing but scrap?

"Well, it was a passion project of my granddad and mine. Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to soar into the skies like him, and my father."

Why not fly again?

"Oh, I've tried. But even though the doc's have said my leg's fully healed, I still don't have full mobility in it. So, flying, or at least the flying that I want, is out for me. Not that it keeps me from bribing pilots to take me up anyways with custom upgrades. I can always count on that Dumbass to take me flying if I tweak his plane for him."

Dumbass?

"Oh, that's what I call Trigger. Because he's the biggest dumbass I know."

And why is that?

"Well, for starters, he's a hot shot. Have you seen the state he leaves his Raptor in after a mission? I swear head red lines the damn thing just to piss me off. He also Dove in head first after the biggest, baddest Ace the Erusea had. Alone. In a canyon. In the middle of a thunderstorm."

I heard he did that to cover Cyclops and Strider's escape.

"Yeah. Still a dumbass move. That's how my dad died, ya know. Being the rear guard. Of course, I heard about this from Tabloid after I got him drunk enough."

And Trigger doing that bothered you?

"Kinda? I think I was more bother by the fact that he lived when my dad didn't. Anyway, I figured that if I didn't do something, then the Dumbass would get himself killed. So, using the spare parts that Osea dumped on us, I built him a custom engine. It'd allow him to go 'Further, Higher, Faster.'"

Did he appreciate it?

"Yeah. He didn't say much, but from then on, after every mission, he'd leave some of his food stamps in the cockpit, his way of apologizing for the sorry state of his plane."

When the 444 was transferred to Tyler Island, you were separated. Were you worried about him?

"Nah. See, by then, the Dumbass had pulled through so many times, I figured his really was THAT good, or he was damned lucky."

But you DID blackmail the Commander to try and get transferred with Trigger...

"Yeah, well it didn't work. I'll admit I had grown to care for him. In that hellhole, Trigger gave us hope. That's a powerful thing in prison. So, yeah. I wanted to make sure he was ok. After all, a pilot is only as good as his mechanic. If that plane isn't in the best condition it can be, there's a good chance that he's not coming home."

And you don't trust ODAF mechanics?

"The ODAF threw him in Zapland in the first place, what do you think?"

Fair enough.

"I didn't see him until after he took down the second Arsenal Bird. It was on the _Admiral Andersen._ I knew he was going back out to fight the new super drones that Schroder told us about. I also knew a bit about the ship's namesake. I thought it would be fitting if Trigger ended the war from the deck of the _Andersen_. So, I did what I could. I overhauled his plane. It was better than new. I remember us all coming up on deck to watch him launch. It was awe-inspiring. The entire fate of the war, all resting on his shoulders. I just hope we did right by the old man."

Trust me, I knew Andersen. I spent time aboard the _Kestrel_ I was there when she sank, and I saw her launch her final sortie. You would have made Andersen proud.

"Thanks."

Any final thoughts or impressions on Trigger?

"Well, he's still a dumbass. That'll never change. But thanks to him, I got a second chance on life. Chief mechanic at McNealy? Not bad for some scrap dealer from the sticks."


	7. The King of the Skies

_**The King of the Skies**_

**Shilage Castle, Erusean Autonomous Zone of Shilage, Usea June 2024**

Mihaly **Archange** Shilage

Mihaly A. Shilage, callsign "Archange," was once a member of the Royal family of the Grand Duchy of Shilage, until the country was annexed by Erusea. He then joined the Federal Erusean Air Force and quickly became Erusea's best pilot. He personally trained the legendary Erusean Ace, Yellow 13. Sometime after the end of the First Usean Continental War, Mihaly was recruited by the EASA as a test pilot. He is now living at Shilage Castle under medical supervision.

Where was it that you first encountered Trigger?

"Ah, the Pilot with the Three Strikes. I first encountered him in the Yinshi Valley. At first, it was only supposed to be a routine test run. I would go in, shoot down some Osean planes, then egress before the storm became too severe. I scanned the airspace. One squadron with little discipline was fighting drones while two others were attempting to egress out of the valley. One plane, a MiG-29 that bore 2 white lines on its tail was separated from the rest. I pounced. After the kill, one squadron scattered, while the other two formed a more orderly retreat. I began to select my next target when I noticed something odd."

What was it?

"It was a Gripen with three lines on its tail. It was charging straight towards me with full afterburners. A split second later, I saw missile contrails arcing towards me. I immediately engaged with this pilot. I pulled a Kulbit and got on his tail. Three seconds later, I lined up the perfect shot and fired. The pilot snap rolled to port, my missile slamming into the rock formations. In my utter astonishment, he was able to get behind me. The shrill tone of the missile lock warning in me ear shook me from my lapse in concentration, but too late. I jinked hard to my right, taking the missile in a non-critical area."

What did you do then?

"I dove into the canyon in an attempt to shake the Gripen. But like a wolf, this pilot had his teeth in me, and he was not about to let go. He successfully damaged my craft three more times before the storm clouds gave us an opportunity to retreat."

What went through your head?

"What went through my head? I was excited. No other pilot had ever been able to damage my craft. Not even my protégé. I now understood what he meant when he would write to me about the Ribbon. I eagerly awaited my next encounter with the Three Strikes."

When did you meet him next?

"Over Farbanti. As one of the few remaining squadrons within range of Farbanti, Sol was ordered to strike at the Oseans at assist in the defense of the capital. However, the Osean assault went better than we expected. We arrived just as the Osean flag was being raised over the GHQ. So, we decided to take out what Oseans we could, then retreat. Then, I heard that Sol 5 was shot down. Quickly followed by Sol 4. Two squadrons of Osean F-15C's were striking back. These were Osea's elites, the Snowbirds. I latched onto one of them as Sol 3 ejected. My target was good. His wingmen were also not intimidated. They prevented me from taking the optimal shot, and I merely neutralized the plane. That's when Sol 2 was hit.

"I ordered him to eject, while I attacked the leader. Only after that did I realize that he was baiting me. The missile lock warning screamed at me as a looked behind me and saw them, the three white claws. I knew I had to deal with my target as quickly as possible. I lined up the perfect shot, knowing I would also be vulnerable. But I wanted to test the Three Strikes. I wanted to see if he would act to save his wingman."

Did he pass?

"He did. The second I fired my missile, he fired his. Unfortuneatly, it wasn't enough to save his lead. As I watched my prey detonate, I braced for the impact. Sure enough, Three Strikes' missile struck, damaging my SP weapon release. I grinned, and led him through the submerged sector. He chased me, firing whenever he got a shot. It was exhilarating. For once, I was facing a pilot whose skill I could not easily beat. For the first time in ages, I was flying for my life. Three Strikes was relentless. Each hit drew me closer and closer to the edge of oblivion."

How did you survive?

"A deus ex machina. The simultaneous satellite strikes shorted out all of our HUDs. In the confusion, I ordered the retreat. I also made a vow. The next time I faced the Three Strikes, we would finish out fight."

When did you meet him again?

"Over this very castle. Three Strikes was attacking, and shooting down the Sols one by one. I was flying a prototype X-02S. I activated the EML and attempted to shoot down Three Strikes from afar. I missed."

You sound disappointed.

"Far from it, actually. I didn't want our battle to end before it began. My presence announced, Three Strikes engaged, charging at me head to head. He fired twice and snap-rolled to port so fast that I barely had time to dodge. My Wyvern should have been more than a match for his Eagle, but I noted with admiration that Three Strikes was pushing his craft beyond it's limits. He was giving this fight his all. I refused to insult him by doing any less. I resolved to thoroughly test him, even more so than I tested my own protégé. If he was the one to defeat me and inherit the skies I cherished, then I wanted to make certain he was worthy of them."

What did your test determine?

"I determined that he was more worthy of the skies than even I ever could have been. He evaded all of my EML shots. I couldn't touch him. In desperation, I dove down on him with the sun on my back. He saw right through that. He charged, head to head again. He suddenly arced up and pulled under me. I questioned why he did that, only to have the twin Sidewinders he had launched, hidden by his plane, slam into me. A direct hit. As my Wyvern careened to the earth below, I gave Three Strikes a warning about the drone facility. The skies were his domain now. He was King."

Do you have any regrets?

"Many. I was selfish. I endangered my granddaughters and nearly unleashed hell upon the world, just to keep flying for a little while longer. But, facing Three Strikes? No. I have no regrets about that."


	8. The Man who Flew for Freedom

_**The Man who Flew for Freedom**_

**Cape Rainy Airbase, Erusean Autonomous Zone of Volsage, Usea July 2024**

Colonel **Seymour** Weese

Col Seymour Weese is the leader of Sol Squadron, a former EASA test squadron, then later re-formed as the premier fighter squadron of the newly created Volsagian Air Force. After the end of the Lighthouse War, Princess Cossette D'Elise, now Queen, declared that Erusea would grant many of its annexed territories autonomy and self-governance. These territories would become known as Autonomous Zones, Erusean only in regards to international diplomacy. Both Shilage and Volsage voted to become Autonomous Zones. During the war, Seymour flew as Sol 3.

Col Weese, what was it like to fly for the EASA?

"Well, it was challenging. Not because of combat. We actually didn't see all that much. No, we were assigned to help provide Dr. Schroder and the EASA with raw data for the drone program. But the one who really was the one supplying the data was King. The rest of us were his back-up."

You said you didn't fly many combat missions. What were the ones you did fly like?

"Mostly, we would take off, then we would hang back while Mihaly pounced on a stray Osean or IUN pilot. He'd score a few kills, then we'd RTB."

Sounds boring.

"It was. Our average time on target was usually no more than 5 minutes. I became so tired of these milk runs that I prayed to finally see some real action. I got my wish on July 12, 2019."

What happened then?

"It was at the Yinshi Valley. There were two Osean F-15C squadrons being harassed by our perimeter drones, while a third Osean squadron of a random mishmash of fighters more or less covered for them. Wit, Sol 2 noticed a lone Osean MiG-29 on the edge of combat. So, we relayed its position to King. The MiG pulled a Cobra, but King pulled a Kulbit in response and shot him down. Then all hell broke loose."

What happened?

"First, the Osean irregulars with scratches on their tails scattered. King immediately tried to target on of them, but that's when I saw it. A Gripen with three scratches. He was screaming in toward King from the other side of the AO, at least 1000km away. By the time King noticed him, the Gripen had already gotten in range and had fired. King dodged the missiles, but I knew what that attack was."

What was it?

"A challenge. Three Strikes knew EXACTLY who we were, almost like he had encountered us before. He made a beeline for King. He KNEW his first volley would miss. He fired that shot strictly to get King's attention."

Did it work?

"King took the bait. I'm sure he saw it as an opportunity to fly against a pilot 'worthy of his skills.' But that's not what I saw. I saw Three Strikes as a pilot bent on killing Mihaly, no matter what. It was unnerving. I had never seen anyone outright ATTACK King. The only reason King escaped was because the thunderstorms closed in and Wit convinced him to break off. It only got worse from there.

"The next time we saw the Three Strikes was over Farbanti. This time, Three Strikes was content to let his squadron mates keep Mihaly occupied while he shot each of us down, one by one. He was relentless, leaving no opportunity for a counterattack. Again, Mihaly only escaped due to outside intervention."

How did you escape?

"The rest of us Sols managed to get picked up by evacuating Erusean forces. They took us back to our base, where we got our reserve planes. We then took advantage of the comms blackout and helped organize an Independent outpost at Shilage Castle. Unfortunately, Three Strikes found us. He was leading his squadron to steal what little resources we had gathered for the refugees! We had finally established the means to become free, and Three Strikes was taking that away! So, Wit ordered us into our reserve planes and we took off. Not that it mattered. Three Strikes shot down Sol 4 and 5 almost as soon as they took off. Wit and I only made it out alive because of Mihaly."

How would you describe Trigger's flying style as compared to Mihaly?

"As polar opposites. Mihaly was cold and calculating as he flew. He selected his targets with precision and care. He maintained a level head throughout it all. No passion, no emotion. Just ruthless efficiency. Three Strikes, on the other hand, flew hot. For the most part, he was just as ruthless in destroying his enemies as Mihaly was, but it was different. Three Strikes was ruled by his emotions. No, he was _fueled_ by them."

What do you mean?

"There were times, especially when we entered the engagement, that Three Strikes would flip from ruthless efficiency to a relentless onslaught. When he was on my tail, I felt like he wanted me _personally_ dead. Like I had somehow wronged him. He never let up, missile after missile. He would even accept damage to himself just to inflict in on us. He was a berserker!"

You said that you felt that it seemed like you had personally wronged Trigger. Well, indirectly, your squadron actually did.

"What?"

Back in Choppinburg. Mihaly engaged two damaged Osean aircraft. A Tomcat and a Hornet.

"Yeah, what of it? Three Strikes wasn't even there!"

He was. Flying cover for his allies against the UAVs. The Hornet pilot that Mihaly toyed with? She was a close friend of Trigger's. _Very close_. And he had to hear her _beg_ for help until Mihaly finally killed her.

"Oh god. It all makes sense now. That's why whenever we showed up, he attacked us on sight! He was out for our blood. He wanted vengeance."


End file.
